Following the lifetime ban of a Malaysian by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) stresses that this should be a learning lesson to all badminton players in Malaysia.
BAM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria explained that the lifetime ban was a necessary consequence after an executive of a Malaysian sports equipment company was found to be fixing matches.
BWF informed that their Integrity Unit had been investigating the executive representative who would often sponsor international players since the 2014 Japan Open.
He also urged all other badminton players in Malaysia to take this as a lesson to not follow in the footsteps of former national players, Zulfadli Zulkiffli and Tan Chung Seang, who were sentenced to 20 and 15 years, respectively, by the BWF for similar match-fixing issues.
“We hope [this will be] a warning to our players so that whatever we do, we should not use shortcuts or prioritise wealth and profit because the competition of badminton [should] be held in a healthy way,” he said, after chairing the 75th BAM Annual General Meeting at the Malaysian Badminton Academy, Bukit Kiara.
BAM also holds awareness courses besides advising national players to report any individuals that try to persuade and involve them in immoral activities.
